atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Proper way to terminate 12 pair figure 8

This may be an odd question for you guys but here goes. I'm installing a 12 pair 22awg figure 8 cable on a ski lift. The cable will run the entire length of the lift (around 700 meters.) One end where all the connections are made will be terminated on a 66 block. But at the other end, there is no need, or room, for a 66 block. What is the proper way to dead end a cable? There will be a boot at the final location to connect one pair to a series of safety devices. Most of the rest of the pairs break out to other safety devices along the lift and are unusable at the final location. Can I just end the cable in the boot? Should I skip the boot and bring the cable into the 6x6 junction box that is up there (with a strain relief?) Thanks for all suggestions!

how are they "breaking out" ?

There will be boots at each tower.

What exactly is a boot? can you describe it? And what is a figure 8?

I am not an expert but I would say you can just cut the ends and pull on the insulation a little bit so it stretches a little bit beyond the end of the copper. We used to do this with lamp cord, remember?

Or if you want to be a little neater, you could individually wrap each wire-end in a piece of electrical tape and then wrap up the whole bunch with some more electrical tape.

If you want to get really fancy, you can terminate each wire with a b-connector (beanie) or scotch-lok connector meant for outdoor use. In other words, it contains gunk that comes out when you squeeze it shut. I think they even make special scotch-lok connectors for dead ending, so you can put multiple wires in one scotch-lok but they will not be electrically connected.

Of course I am not a licensed electrician or code expert, so I guess that tells you how a hack would do it.

From what I've seen on ski lifts, I assume his "boot" would be what we called here in Canada a "3209 terminal". You've got them in New England, but don't know what they're called.

It's a standard terminal on an aerial cable where the drops connect.

In lieu of using a boot at the far end (I assume the top of the lift), why not Beanie the ends of the other pairs and use a 1 or 2 pair protector enclosure big enough to accommodate the 12 pair cable?

Figure 8 cable is an outdoor cable with a built in strand. A boot is a splice case.

I don't have a problem ending the cable in a junction box - but what about protection?

As I understand you, you're running a cable up the lift, cutting into it at each tower and dropping pairs out as required. It seems like a standard OSP run, albeit for a non-telephonic function- but who cares? It seems like you're comfortable with the job and the material. I'm just concerned about the protection, because to me, whenever you leave a building the cabling/devices should be protected.

Sam

Lightning? Isn't that the job of the messenger LOL

What's a huge 2100' horizontal lightning rod going to do anyway? We temp'd in an underground non-re-enterable (if that's a word) splice kit on our 12-pair after the trash guy got it. I think it was about 6 years ago. I still have one in a bag in the warehouse that's wintered 5 years. I don't have the heart to pitch it. Oh well, at least the plastic case is good.

Carl

Like Sam protection is a must, unless you like replacing equipment. I assume these are steel towers. I'd bond the strand at each tower, now everything is an equal ground. I'd put protectors at each drop and do the same. Daves Idea on the end is a good one, or you could just end it in a boot with filled connectors as was suggested. Again bonding each end sheath and strand.

Thanks everyone, this info has helped! There will be protection at the main control panel for the lift for when the panel is on. When the panel is switched off there is a bank of relays that will ground all the pairs automatically. Regarding protection at each tower and at the end of the line; the safety devices themselves do not need protecting as they are nothing more than a plastic body with a weakened "U" shaped steel bar protruding; we've never lost one to lightning and there's probably 350 of them hanging about our lifts. Do I need to protect the cabling itself? There will also be protection where a few pairs enter the top operator's building from the 12 pair. Everything that should be will be bonded - our mountain can be a pretty intense lightning zone and have seen what happens with improper installation.

In this application, it sounds as if the 'boot' would have been a WECO 49- or Reliable 110- type ready access closure with an appropriate 3-pair binding post terminal installed in each. The appropriate pair would be either cut or half-tapped at each 'boot'. Since ready-access distribution was abandoned by most telcos many years ago, you might not be able to locate these. Most telcos now use 3Ms 'SLIC' terminals, but they aren't nearly as inexpensive as the former ready access units.

As for the dead-end, I'd just bring the cable into one last 'boot' and individually terminate each pair with either a separate connector, such as a Scotchlok or better yet, Scotchlok 'UCC' connectors which effectively insulate/isolate a full pair.

If you are interested, I have a bunch of Raychem/Tyco TRAC closures that will do the job for you. Shipping to Canada might be costly though.

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